Aussiegirl

Sounds like a good challenge, I would be up for that. The push ups will be a real challenge for me.

Congrats! I love putting on clothes that I once thought were too tight

Congrats..you are doing awesome, very inspiring.

Yay! good work.

This is an apt topic for me at the moment. I have been surprised by the people who are now in my corner, my cheerleaders. Alot of these people were not my closest friends before t he surgery. The people that I called my closest friends I now struggle with, not necessarily because I am loosing the weight, but more because I respect myself more, and expect more from the people I am close with. Before I did not expect or receive the same respect that I extended to them. So now I think I deserve it. It is making me evaluate my closer friends more than before.....definitely need to widen my friends pool. It definitely takes an emotional toll on you, but I am starting a new life and I deserve the best.

Sizes dont vary much. When I was researching the procedure I found this helpful picture that put the width of the bougies in perspective to each other, using pens as references: http://images.obesityhelp.com/uploads/profile/868222/albums/77594/Bougie%20Size.jpg Hope the link works.

What a great thread. Congratulations on all your success and how you have changed your life. Enjoy the flirting I am waiting for the flirting to begin...bring it on I say..

I am 36, and 5'6. I started this journey at (ick) 150 kgs (330 pounds), 4 months later I am 122kg (248 pounds). I am wearing so many different size in clothes I have no idea what my size is.

It is such a good feeling throwing out (or in my case donating) your clothes. Not sure how many I threw out in the first month but I have lost count of how many bags I have filled now. It is such a good feeling looking at my closet and seeing the shrinking clothes.I never really realised that I had so many clothes but I must have as I am always doing trips to the goodwil with clothes. Now looking forward to throwing out my filler size clothes.

Positivity and committment are the biggest tools you can bring to this journey. Good luck with your surgery~

Today I am 4 months post surgery. I look back and see how much my life has changed. I was fairly lucky before surgery I had no major issues, no medication etc. However I was constantly injuring my foot in one way or the other. It felt like everytime I attempted exercise I was reinjuring my foot, spent quite a few months in a foot boot. But overall I was ok. Since surgery I have not had one injury (touch wood), I work out 2 twice a day and have started running. It seems almost coincidental that I have also hit my half way mark on my 4 month anniversary. 83 pounds down. I have thrown away all my clothes from pre-surgery. Life is so much better, food does not control me. I am happier and more content with myself than I remember being. I know I have a long road to go still to get to my healthy weight. I know it will only get harder from here on in but I feel up to the challenge. 2012 is my year. Bring on the next 4 months.

Thank you Thank you to you all for your positive and supportive feedback. Allformy4, good luck with your surgery. Just remember to keep positive, even when things get you down, and you will do great. For me it has been as much an emotional journey as it has been physical. Go rock your sleeve

Awesome achievement!!

Your welcome!! Good luck on your journey, look forward to a similar post from you

Thanks hun. Not so young tho, I am 36 already, but am enjoying having the energy of a 25 year old

Thank you all. It is a real journey we all go on.....

Thanks Van I am sure it wont be long for you. Time does go by so fast.

Congrats you are doing great

Congrats..those kinda surprises are great

I felt very prepared for what I was going to go through. I did alot of research and made the best choice for me. I met 2 surgeons and chose the one I felt most comfortable with. We do not have to jump through as many hoops down here as you guys do with insurance companies paying. I was prepared all the complications post surgery. It seems the only thing I was not Iprepared for was how easy MY recovery was, I had very little pain. Recovery almost felt too easy, but I have had to learn my sleeve like everyone else. It is definitely the best decision I made for myself.

Agreed!!

Ducker you are doing awesome! I know for myself I am coming down from a much higher weight than you having almost 170 pounds to lose to be on the cusp of normal weight. Keep up the good work!

Much like others have commented, I started with DD's and still remain a DD however in smaller band sizes. However the perception of my friends is that I am loosing my boobs, I rack this up to the loss of padding underneath (ie spare tyre pushing them up) than actual breast size.